A Northampton man's
denial of his guilt to psychologists cost him his plea deal.

Northampton County Judge Michael Koury yanked away the
negotiated plea and reinstated the dismissed charges after reading in reports
that Jeffrey Douglas Kephart, 43, of the 2300 block of Washington
Avenue, would not admit to psychologists that he
molested his 14-year-old victim after saying as much in court Nov. 4.

Kephart, who wore an orange prison jumpsuit, his long gray
hair tied in a ponytail, came to court this morning with the intent of being
sentenced on a single count of indecent assault for a maximum sentence of about
two years.

Instead, he spent the time trying to convince Koury that his
original plea was truthful and that he lied to doctors because he was ashamed
of what he'd done. In the presentencing reports, Kephart says he only massaged
the girl's neck and that accounts of her being molested were coerced out of the
victim by the girl's mother.

Today, Kephart said that was all a lie.

"I did touch her inappropriately," Kephart said of the victim.
"I have no excuse for what I've done."

But Koury said Kephart's explanation for lying — that he was embarrassed by the facts— made no sense. In court Nov. 4, Kephart admitted to
reaching into the victim's pants while she played video games, filming the
victim naked in the shower and broadcasting those videos online. All of that,
Koury said, was admitted in open court before the public and newspaper
reporters.

"To say he was ashamed ... is not credible to me," Koury said. "This
wasn't an inconsistency. This was outright denial in two separate reports. He
has clearly denied the factual basis" of the guilty plea.

Mark Minotti, Kephart's attorney, told Koury he understood the
court's issue with the guilty plea because of his client's statements.

"I apologize that this came off the tracks and I explained to
Mr. Kephart that the court won't take kindly to this," Minotti said before
turning directly to his client and adding, "It wasn't right for him to do what
he did."

But Kephart's statements at the beginning of today's
procedure should hold some weight, Minotti argued.

"I think the record today speaks for itself. He wants to go
forward with this and he takes full responsibility," Minotti said.

Kephart reiterated his guilt again and apologized.

"I violated (her) body and I'm truly sorry," he said.

Koury said he could not go through with the sentencing after
viewing the reports. Koury also reinstated the previously dismissed charges of criminal
attempted aggravated indecent assault without consent, criminal attempted
aggravated indecent assault on a person less than 16, endangering the welfare
of children, corruption of minors, indecent assault without consent and
indecent assault on a person less than 16.

Koury said Kephart's case will be relisted for trial.

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FEDERAL CASE

In a separate case, Jeffrey Douglas Kephart pleaded guilty in October to federal child
pornography charges but the details of that plea were sealed, according court
records. He's slated for an April 24 sentencing in the case and faces a potential 15-year prison sentence.